We had the opportunity to conduct an interview about the upcoming hardcore online shooter Escape from Tarkov (PC) and learned some interesting things.
Nikita Buyanov COO and project lead at the Russian development studio Battlestate Games talked to us primarily about the skill and experience system of the online shooter. The conversation also revolved around the idea behind Escape from Tarkov and the reason why the team chose not to adopt a free-to-play model.
Skills and EXP but not like in an MMORPG
Mein-MMO.de: Escape from Tarkov is a very complex game. Would you rather call it an online shooter or an MMORPG shooter?
Nikita Buyanov: Neither, if we had to choose between these two definitions. Although we have many MMO and RPG elements and are technically also a shooter, the most fitting definition is “Online Combat Simulator.” The best example of an MMORPG shooter is The Division: there are RPG elements and combat. Our game cannot be compared to that. Our players are meant to live the game and not play a role, and – just like in real life – they should not just shoot but think, learn, and adapt.
Mein-MMO.de: Players get the opportunity to customize their characters, for example, through skills. How does the skill tree work? Do you buy new skills with EXP or skill points, or does a player get better by frequently using abilities?
Nikita Buyanov: Players train their skills by using them. Each unlocked skill level brings new perks/abilities. This leads to an elite perk at the top. Additionally, a player gets better in the game with each level up – but not too much. There is nothing that goes beyond human capabilities.
Mein-MMO.de: How does the game calculate EXP? What actions give a player EXP?
Nikita Buyanov: Every action in the game earns EXP. Even if the player is killed during a raid. Then they still receive a small amount of experience points. However, most EXP is gained by carefully and successfully leaving an area. Other actions like taking out enemies, looting, discovering new places, getting severely wounded, unlocking doors, headshots, healing, eating, discovering secrets, and much more also provide experience. The EXP is multiplied by one’s status in the raid, meaning whether they survived, are “Missing in Action,” deserted, or were killed.
Mein-MMO.de: How do EXP and skills interact to keep the game interesting? For example, do you always receive the same EXP for killing enemies, or does it become increasingly difficult to improve as a skill is raised? Do harder-to-defeat enemies also grant more EXP?
Nikita Buyanov: Players will need more and more EXP to reach the next level. However, the number of experience points awarded per level will remain the same.
Fight or Sneak? It Depends on the Situation
Mein-MMO.de: Is it possible to progress faster if you choose to sneak, or does fighting get you further?
Nikita Buyanov: Direct combat, ambushes, sneaking, all these things can be advantageous in certain situations. But only in certain situations and not throughout the entire game.
Mein-MMO.de: What endgame content will you offer high-level players, and how difficult is it to reach the highest level in Escape from Tarkov?
Nikita Buyanov: The game is still under development, so the endgame content has not been finalized yet. However, we plan to introduce clans and add more quests. Additionally, there will be large DLCs. Reaching the maximum level will not be particularly difficult, as it is not crucial for escaping Tarkov. It’s not just about running from A to B. It’s also not just about fighting. You must also trade, exchange information, complete quests, look for different exits from an area, find specific items, and much more.
Reaching the maximum level will not be even half as hard as finishing the game.
Mein-MMO.de: What types of skills can I learn, and how will these affect the gameplay?
Nikita Buyanov: There are five types of skills: Physical, Mental, Combat, Practical and Special (meaning faction-specific skills). These types encompass a lot, much more than can be listed now. This includes, for example, how to handle certain weapon types, lockpicking, using explosives, medical supplies, adapting armor, and more. As mentioned, skills grant perks that make life a bit easier – but not too much, only within a certain framework.
Mein-MMO.de: Is it possible to lose a skill if you don’t use it often enough?
Nikita Buyanov: There are two skills that allow you to retain what you’ve learned longer (at maximum level, you can keep skills forever) – Memory and Metabolism. If you train these skills, you can retain a learned level of a skill for a longer time. You forget more slowly. However, it is generally the case that you forget how to handle skills if you don’t play the game for an extended period. You don’t completely forget the skills, but to a certain degree. When you start playing again and continue training, you learn a bit faster than the first time.
The Player’s Reaction is Always More Important than the Skills
Mein-MMO.de: Are the skills more important in combat, or is the player’s reaction time?
Nikita Buyanov: Skills provide a certain degree of “support” for actions; they make life a little easier, but they are not groundbreaking. These are not traditional MMO skills that you unlock and then use, like casting a new spell. You need to have theoretical knowledge, practice, and think quickly, but physical reactions are also important. Perks do not allow you to do anything unrealistic, like spotting all enemies in the vicinity.
Skills can, for example, reduce weapon recoil or slightly decrease the time it takes to loot. There is nothing that could even be considered “overpowered.” However, in tactical situations, fractions of a second or even the slightest advantage can decide life and death.
Mein-MMO.de: Can newcomers compete with veterans? Is there a system to bring me up to the level of a veteran when I join a group, or do I have to prove myself in the game first?
Nikita Buyanov: Of course, battles against veterans are harder because they simply know the game better and have their tools and tactics. But as can be seen from the skills, there is nothing in terms of balancing that prevents a newcomer from defeating a veteran with a cool head and the right technique. During the beta test, players of all levels play together and survive and level up together.
Later, we might offer some entry servers – even though this doesn’t really fit the game’s concept. However, these servers will not be a playground or a walk in the park. These servers will offer a “hardcore” experience as well. Because those who want to play Escape from Tarkov have to be ready to put in real effort.
Mein-MMO.de: Many major online games no longer use closed beta testing; they launch directly with an open beta that then leads to a soft launch. Why did you decide to conduct several smaller betas instead of one large one, and what were the experiences with that?
Nikita Buyanov: As perhaps known, we have no publisher. Essentially, we are an indie game, despite the size of the studio and the project. In the beginning, we had no experience developing AAA games, and no one knew how the game would perform in a certain phase and under a certain load – we had to slowly learn all of that. All these tests were necessary to gather valuable experience, identify errors, and show us what we could have done better. I’m not talking about bug fixes here but about significant weaknesses in the project.
Every testing phase has brought us forward a bit. And that is simply important when creating a new game with a new engine.
Free2Play? – No Thanks
Mein-MMO.de: Why didn’t you go for the free-to-play model with Escape From Tarkov?
Nikita Buyanov: To be completely honest, we are fed up with that. Many people on our team have previously worked on free-to-play games. I have simply had enough. I don’t like all these tricks in games that are designed to generate as much money as possible. I don’t want that in our game. Neither pay-to-win stuff nor any cosmetic items. Even though we have been advised to do so. It just doesn’t fit the concept, and we are not interested in it and dislike the entire system.
Mein-MMO.de: The weapon modding in Escape From Tarkov is extremely complex. What were your goals when developing the concept for it?
Nikita Buyanov: The main goal was to make customization as realistic as possible. This applies to every “realistic” game – look at how it works in real life and then replicate it in the game. And that’s exactly what we did. Every feature we introduce aims to bring the real-world system a bit closer. This should not only lead to players getting cool weapons but also to effective and personalized combat tools. It is simply important that we stay as close to reality as possible. In the military, soldiers customize their weapons to the point where they feel like an extension of their body.
Mein-MMO.de: What inspired you to create Escape From Tarkov?
Nikita Buyanov: The story behind Escape from Tarkov and the world of “Russia 2028” goes back over ten years. Since then, many things have influenced us – artworks, games, books, movies – but you cannot pick just one of them. We simply wanted to create a “realistic” hardcore game set in a modern Russian scenario. We didn’t want to take something that already existed and make something similar or quickly jump on some hype train to make quick cash – that didn’t appeal to us. All ideas for the game come solely from us.
Mein-MMO.de: Thank you for the interview.
